UK Politics

Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana have confirmed the formation of an as yet unnamed political party to take on Sir Keir Starmer and Labour from the left. The populist outfit, which has been temporarily dubbed Your Party, was announced by the former Labour leader and Ms Sultana on Thursday. Mr Corbyn said it was “time for a new kind of political party – one that belongs to you” and he called for the “mass redistribution of wealth and power”.Zarah Sultana announced plans to set up a new left-wing political party alongside Jeremy Corbyn More

Keir Starmer and Jeremy Corbyn have a shared love for Arsenal football club and have both captained the Labour “red team” in politics against the Tory blues.But that is about as far as they go in terms of any bonds in one of the most turbulent relationships in recent British politics.While the relationship between the pair is beyond repair, Sir Keir’s predecessor has today added to the prime minister’s headache with the launch of his new “kinder” party, which threatens to pinch supporters at a time when Labour’s poll rating continues to drop. A recent poll put Labour in third equal place with a new Corbyn party, with both on 15 per cent and even the Tories ahead on 17 per cent, behind Reform on a massive 34 per cent.Just five years ago, after Labour’s dismal defeat to Boris Johnson in the 2019 election, Sir Keir described him as a “colleague” and, more importantly, a “friend”.Sir Keir Starmer with Jeremy Corbyn during the 2019 election campaign More

A prominent retired surgeon has claimed too many women are doing medical degrees, which is causing problems for the NHS as “women have got to have babies” and many end up working part-time.Dr Meirion Thomas, a former professor of surgical oncology at Imperial College, said the gender balance has swung too far in favour of female medical students. Asked what was wrong with having more female doctors in training, Dr Thomas told Times Radio “the fact of life is that women have got to have babies”. Dr Thomas said fewer women should be doctors as they ‘have got to have babies’ More

Ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed he is setting up a new left-wing political party to take on Keir Starmer after claiming that “the system is rigged”.In a message to his supporters on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Corbyn said it was “time for a new kind of political party – one that belongs to you” and he called for the “mass redistribution of wealth and power”. The new group, a joint venture with former Labour MP Zarah Sultana, will “build a democratic movement that can take on the rich and powerful – and win”, he said.Zarah Sultana, second right, with ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, second left More

Tech firms have been warned to act now or face the consequences, as new online safety protections for children come into force.From Friday, so-called “risky” sites and apps will be expected to use what the regulator has described as “highly effective” age checks to identify which users are children and subsequently prevent them from accessing pornography, as well as other harmful content including self-harm, suicide, eating disorders and extreme violence.But some online safety campaigners said while the new measures should have been a “watershed moment for young people”, regulator Ofcom has instead “let down” parents, accusing it of choosing to “prioritise the business needs of big tech over children’s safety”.The Molly Rose Foundation, founded by bereaved father Ian Russell after his 14-year-old daughter Molly took her own life having viewed harmful content on social media, said the changes lack ambition and accountability and warned that big tech will have taken note.In the face of campaigners’ criticism, Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes has previously defended the reforms, insisting that tech firms are not being given much power over the new measures, which are coming into effect as part of the Online Safety Act.The changes, which will apply across the UK, include age checks on pornography websites, as well as others such as dating app Grindr, which Ofcom said will ensure it is more difficult for children in the UK to access online porn than in many other countries.The regulator said sites such as X, formerly Twitter, and others including Bluesky and Reddit have also committed to age assurances.Ofcom said its safety codes also demand that algorithms “must be tamed and configured for children so that the most harmful material is blocked”.It said it has launched a monitoring and impact programme focused on some of the platforms where children spend most time including social media sites Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, gaming site Roblox and video clip website YouTube.The sites are among those which have been asked to submit, by August 7, a review of their efforts to assess risks to children and, by September 30, scrutiny of the practical actions they are taking to keep children safe.Actions which could be taken against firms which fail to comply with the new codes include fines of up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater, and court orders potentially blocking access in the UK.The NSPCC has warned that Ofcom must “show its teeth and fully enforce the new codes”.Dame Melanie said: “Prioritising clicks and engagement over children’s online safety will no longer be tolerated in the UK.“Our message to tech firms is clear – comply with age checks and other protection measures set out in our codes, or face the consequences of enforcement action from Ofcom.”But Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, said: “This should be a watershed moment for young people but instead we’ve been let down by a regulator that has chosen to prioritise the business needs of big tech over children’s safety.”He said the “lack of ambition and accountability will have been heard loud and clear in Silicon Valley”.He added: “We now need a clear reset and leadership from the Prime Minister. That means nothing less than a new Online Safety Act that fixes this broken regime and firmly puts the balance back in favour of children.”Chris Sherwood, chief executive at the NSPCC, said: “Children, and their parents, must not solely bear the responsibility of keeping themselves safe online. It’s high time for tech companies to step up.”He said if enforcement is “strong”, the codes should offer a “vital layer of protection” for children and young people when they go online, adding: “If tech companies fail to comply, Ofcom must show its teeth and fully enforce the new codes”.England’s Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, said Friday “marks a new era of change in how children can be protected online, with tech companies now needing to identify and tackle the risks to children on their platforms or face consequences”, and said the measures must keep pace with emerging technology to make them effective in the future.She added: “I will continue to reflect the views of children in the work I do with Ofcom to make the online world a safer place for all children. Protection must always come before profit.” More

Ministers are ready to respond if fresh riots erupt this summer as tensions simmer over migrant hotels in communities across the UK. The business secretary has said government agencies, the police and emergency services are prepared for potential disorder after violent demonstrations outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Epping, Essex.But a former top prosecutor called for “much, much more” to be done, saying local community ‘Cobra’ meetings should be “happening now” in potential hotspots and policing resources should be put in place to prevent further outbreaks. Local Conservative MP Dr Neil Hudson has warned the riots in Essex are a “crisis that has reached boiling point”. Jonathan Reynolds said the government is prepared for potential disorder More

Sir Keir Starmer has warned backbench Labour MPs against future rebellions as he seeks to restamp his authority on the party after a series of setbacks.The prime minister suffered the biggest rebellion of his premiership over his plans to cut benefits by billions, climbing down at the last minute amid fears his majority could be overturned. In the end, 47 Labour MPs voted against the welfare bill at its final Commons hurdle.And chief whip Sir Alan Campbell wrote to rebels on Wednesday to remind them of their votes against the measures. Sir Keir Starmer has warned rebels as he seeks to restore his authority over his party More